A small body of evidence suggests that berberine supplementation may reduce the recurrence rate of colorectal adenomas, which commonly evolve into CRC over time.[1] When added to chemotherapy treatment, some studies showed that some herbs used in Traditional Chinese medicine could improve quality of life, reduce some chemotherapy side effects, and enhance the tumor response to certain treatments (but the quality of evidence was low and results were inconsistent.)[2][3][4] Probiotics and synbiotics could reduce infections and complications after CRC surgery.[5] Vitamin D supplementation has also been studied, but conflicting study results prevent any conclusions about its ability to protect against CRC.[6][7]
Have any supplements been studied for CRC?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Some evidence suggests that berberine may reduce the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, and certain herbs from Traditional Chinese Medicine may improve quality of life and treatment response when they are used with chemotherapy, though the evidence is inconsistent. Additionally, probiotics and synbiotics may help reduce postsurgery complications, and vitamin D supplementation has been studied, but the results on its protective effects against colorectal cancer are conflicting.